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About Star Valley
Star Valley lies to the south of the Grand Tetons along the Idaho-Wyoming border. It is bordered on the east by the beautiful Salt River Mountain Range, and on the west by a series of hills and mountains. The Idaho border passes along the western edge of the valley. The Salt River flows through the valley beginning at the south end to the north where it flows into the Palisades Reservoir. Star Valley is filled with farmland and small communities, the largest of which is Afton. The grass is usually green, and the mountains are covered in forests.
In 1858, the U.S. government built the Lander Cut-Off of the Pacific Wagon Road, a new shortcut on the Oregon Trail, which passed through Star Valley. Thousands of emigrants passed through on it up until 1912 on their way to Oregon. Star Valley was settled by Mormon pioneers who began settling here in 1880, and established all the settlements here.
A series of hills splits Star Valley into two halves a ways north of Afton. The Salt River passes through the hills in a spot called the Narrows. In spite of this apparent separation, both ends are called Star Valley.
U.S. Highway 89 passes lengthwise through the valley, roughly following the route of the Lander Cut-Off. State Highway 238 passes along the west side of the valley in the southern section of the valley. Numerous other rural roads access all areas of the valley and lead into the many canyons of the mountains. The elevation at the south end of the valley is 6,800 feet, and it drops to 5,600 feet by the north end.